As rumors of an Apple television set pick up steam, one new report claims that the company is already building prototype models for a launch potentially as soon as late 2012.

Analyst Gene Munster with Piper Jaffray revealed in a note to investors on Monday that a source close to an Asian component supplier claimed in September that Apple was building prototype models of its rumored high-definition television set.

Munster has long been a believer that Apple will enter the television market, saying as far back as February 2009 that he believed the company was working on a major entrance into the living room. He sees Apple building an all-in-one, Internet-connected television set with access to the App Store and iTunes content.

If Apple were to launch a TV set in late 2012, he believes it would add about 3 percent to the company's revenue in 2013. With a projected 220 million flat panel TVs to be sold in 2012, 48 percent, or 106 million, will be Internet-connected devices, and he sees Apple selling 1.4 million of those.

With the addition of iCloud and Siri voice control, Munster believes Apple is even more prepared to launch an HDTV in the coming years. With iCloud, users could access TV shows, pictures, and potentially moves, while Siri could "simplify the chore of inputting information like show titles, or actor names, into a TV."

Munster also met with sources in Asia in January of this year, where he heard word that Apple is investing in manufacturing facilities and securing supply for LCD displays. The company is said to have invested in screen sizes of up to 50 inches for a potential television set.

Rumors of an Apple-built HDTV began to pick up steam once again last week, when it was revealed that Apple co-founder Steve Jobs told his biographer that he had "cracked' the secret to building an integrated, easy-to-use television set. He said the device "will have the simplest user interface you could imagine."

Apple is currently in the set-top box market with its $99 Apple TV, but the company has famously referred to its interest in that market as a "hobby." The Apple TV allows users to purchase content from iTunes, while new features like wireless AirPlay mirroring have been added with recent software updates.

No doubt it will have an Apple Remote, which I hate. There is no way on earth they will make a full remote, you will need to use an App and who wants to find their iOS device/ launch an app to change channel.

And they can't cut prices too much or they won't make any money on it.

Did the example above show that it would be competitive? Beyond that, all of Apple products are typically priced above the competition. I think they would do very well in competing with other high quality televisions, like the Elite line from Panasonic. Selling a high quality product and once again not participating in the "race to the bottom" strategy.

No doubt it will have an Apple Remote, which I hate. There is no way on earth they will make a full remote, you will need to use an App and who wants to find their iOS device/ launch an app to change channel.

I don't see the problem at all with using an iPhone or iPod Touch as a remote. The whole point is to get away from those googletv-esque monstrosities.

No doubt it will have an Apple Remote, which I hate. There is no way on earth they will make a full remote, you will need to use an App and who wants to find their iOS device/ launch an app to change channel.

This is why SJ was a visionary and you are not. You are not looking past what you already know.

I don't think we'll talk to the TV itself, but to our iOS device(s) that will then command the 'TV' what to do.

This would also allow several people to control one device. Parent could request a show is downloaded in the background (from anywhere on Earth of course), whilst a youngster could instruct it to launch a game. Hopefully, Apple will buy OnLive and embed that service in Apple 'smart' TV.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sennen

I don't see the problem at all with using an iPhone or iPod Touch as a remote. The whole point is to get away from those googletv-esque monstrosities.

...is why they would bother embedding all of this stuff into a full HDTV instead of just beefing up Apple TV?

No, people don't want a bunch of cables & boxes, but if Apple TV was capable of everything they're talking about, it would just be the existing HDTV + ONE box/remote. That seems pretty reasonable, especially since so many people already shelled out for a brand-new HDTV within the past 5 years.

WIth cellphones, the problem was with both the hardware *and* the software. With HDTV's, the problem with isn't the hardware itself, it's the software & service providers.